After Getting Whaled on by Environmentalists, the Trump Administration Is Helping a Vulnerable Sea Mammal
ANDREYGUDKOV/Getty The Trump administration isn’t exactly heralded as a friend to nature’s creatures. It has, after all, rolled back Endangered Species Act protections, shrunk national monuments, and proposed opening the United States’ largest national forest up to logging and construction. But earlier this month, the administration announced it plans to designate more than 300,000 square…
Want to Know What Climate Change Feels Like? Ask an Alaskan.
A brush fire burns in South Anchorage, Alaska on Tuesday, July 2, 2019.Loren Holmes/AP This story was originally published by Grist and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Adrienne Titus was heading back to her parents’ village on a sweltering afternoon in early July when she saw the dead salmon. She had…
California’s Massive Power Outages Are Threatening the Oakland Zoo’s Animals
Grizzly and brown bears in their pool habitat at the Oakland ZooBen Margot/AP As massive power outages swept across the northern part of California Wednesday, the Oakland Zoo, which was closed to the public, hustled to protect its animals, especially ones that rely on a stable environment. Of the highest priority are the mountain yellow-legged frogs,…
Tufted Puffins, Gray Wolves, and Grizzlies: 9 Species Likely Screwed Thanks to Trump’s Endangered Species Rollbacks
A grey wolfDennis Fast/Zuma Trump’s war on wildlife continued this week when new rules went into effect that weaken protections for plants and animals listed under the Endangered Species Act, a powerful environmental law responsible for saving the bald eagle, humpback whale, and brown pelican from extinction. The Trump administration announced the final set of rules last…
A Big New Study Finds Bee-Killing Pesticides Aren’t Even Worth it for Soybean Farmers
Dzophoto/iStock/Getty Images Ever year, farmers in the United States devote at least 80 million acres, a combined landmass three-quarters the size of California, to soybeans. At least half the crop comes from proprietary seeds coated with insecticides and fungicides. These chemicals infuse the plants as they emerge, protecting them from damage by insects and fungal…
Anglers Don’t Know How to Stop the Hordes of Hungry Sea Lions
Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty This story was originally published by High Country News and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. With the lights of Moss Landing, California, twinkling in the distance, Captain Porter McHenry stood on the top deck of the Merva W, a large commercial fishing boat. Ocean water sprayed his face and dampened his thick brown beard.…